The idea of island hopping in the Caribbean is much easier in theory than in practice—the region just isn’t set up for it. There was an error submitting your subscription. The Dutch side of the island is known as the party side, as it is host of the Heineken Regatta, a four-day sailing race with concerts and other festivities. There is no better way to explore these islands than on a Caribbean yacht charter. The big ones are mostly cruising the Leeward and the Windward as the cruising distances are larger. Planning you next sailing holiday, taking a milebuilding trip? Seems like transport could use a bit of an upgrade. Like you said, it looks perfect for a Eurozone type grouping. Caribbean Sailing By Daria and Alex Blackwell. If you stray farther east than 64 degrees 30’ west, you risk sailing onto the infamous reefs of Anagada. A 20-minute flight from Antigua to Guadeloupe cost me over $200. While Euros are usually accepted, they’re often only accepted on par value with U.S. dollars—this is a horrible deal. We won't send you spam. The most popular vessel to navigate is the luxury motor yacht. Book travel insurance with a trusted company for your international adventure. Ohhh!!! The Aegean Sea around Ikaria is a sailing paradise and the short distance between Ikaria and its island neighbor, Fourni Islands, makes Ikaria's south coast an ideal base for day sailing trips. In addition to Afro-Caribbean people, you see a higher percentage of Europeans on Saba island, as well as some Asians—many of whom attend or teach at the medical school. Catching a flight would be the last resort for those who want to go island-hopping. It’s only in Marigot, the capital, and other expat areas where you’ll see significant French in use. Dates & length Places Filters. The Distance Calculator can find distance between any two cities or locations available in The World Clock. Almost every very island you visit, unless it’s part of the same territory, requires a passport and new customs forms each time. You might call it the sailing capital of the whole world. I wish I could say more about Guadeloupe, but the truth is I didn’t really go anywhere beyond my hostel. Although coast guard service is lacking (at best) so always sail prepared. Caribbean Distances Between Caribbean Islands Caribbean Turks & Caicos Virgin Islands Leward Islands Windward Islands Mediterranean Mediterranean French Riviera Italian Riviera Greece - Turkey South Pacific South Pacific Fiji US Northeast Newport - St. Johns Canada Cape Breton _____ In addition to the capital city, Phillipsburg is the next most popular city for tourists. In 1998 Nevis had a referendum to secede from St. Kitts. Caribbean Cruises Sailing Holidays in the Caribbean 2019. St John is one of my favorite islands! This is a great overview. Be careful not to overcompensate. So far I have only visited Grenada and it definitely whetted my appetite. The island’s unique geography makes everything difficult—the airport runway is the shortest commercial runway in the world. Best seen from the water . British Virgin Islands. What an amazing trip! Plus, the beaches, nightlife, and food is different in each place. As mentioned above, the regular ferry service runs from Antigua, with a weekly ferry running from Nevis island. How about that take-off and landing on Saba, think it’s the shortest runway in the world, requires a STOL aircraft and a shot of Jack Daniels. Happy Travels! of Pub. This is thanks, in part, to the relative proximity of the islands to each other. The island of St Martin is the perfect place to start exploring the eastern side of the Caribbean. Book Your AccommodationBooking.com is hands-down the best way to book accommodation—it offers the lowest rates, and the massive community of user reviews helps you decide on the exact right place to stay, from high end hotels to budget hostels. Taking Ferries & Flights Between Caribbean Islands, Final Thoughts & Tips for Island Hopping the Caribbean, Captain Bob’s Most Popular Speed Boat, Snorkeling and Beach Tour, Self-Drive Boat Tour and Snorkel from Simpson Bay, St. Martin and St Maarten: Sightseeing Tour of the French and Dutch Sides of the Island, Turtle Cove Snorkel and Sail Adventure at Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge, St. Thomas Mangrove Lagoon Kayak and Snorkel Tour, Sailing The British Virgin Islands – Tortola To Tortola, Magic Mangrove Paddle in Beef Island Lagoon, Anguilla Half-Day Sail and Snorkel Adventure to Little Bay, Anguilla Day Trip from St Maarten: Catamaran Sail with Snorkeling at Shoal Bay, St Maarten Sailing and Snorkeling to St Barts, Private St Barth Day Trip from St Maarten, organize via ferry, with ticket prices around €80, St Kitts Deluxe Catamaran Snorkeling Tour With Lunch, St Kitts Shore Excursion: Nevis Beach Getaway, Nevis Plantation and Beach Experience from St Kitts, Southern Stingray Marine Animal Interaction and Snorkel, Antigua Shore Excursion: Round Island Tour, What is a Sugar Shack? Although many islands are close, the Leeward Islands are spread all over the place, meaning there is no “logical” route you can plan through the islands—this is in comparison to the fairly linear Windward Islands. I really enjoyed that island! Anguilla is the only island in the region that isn’t a volcanic island—it’s a raised coral reef. Balearia Caribbean has ferry services between Fort Lauderdale and Grand Bahama or Bimini.. Bahamas. Be careful not to overcompensate. Be prepared every time you leave your base to bring your passport, documents, and debit cards (since you’ll be changing currencies a few times as you island hop, more on that below). If you visit as a day trip, I strongly recommend not going on a Sunday—everything in Gustavia is closed save for a few cafes. Although many Caribbean cruises are seasonal, they are perfect for visiting different islands and many are stylish and comfortable, offering world-class service. Sailing in the Caribbean. It’s not like the movie Pirates of the Caribbean that uses the Black Pearl to sail the different islands for free. The 11 Best Caribbean Islands for Sailing, Yachting and Boating. Success! Enjoying traveling vicariously with you through the Caribbean! Distances in this table are in nautical miles based on the International Nautical Mile of approximately 6,076.1 feet. (More on them below). Wow, I’ve been to a few Caribbean islands in short bursts but I think the way you’re doing it is great. That’s because this beautiful archipelago has five islands within easy reach by ferry and air from the main island of Grande Terre/Basseterre, each with its own character and flavour, from tiny Terre-de-Haut to beach paradise Marie Galante. 1. Given the layout of the Leeward Islands’ islands, plan to base yourself in St. Martin has your hub, then you can visit about half of the key islands from there. Most island hoppers arrive on the Dutch side and then travel to the French side of St. Martin. Use our handy map to plan your Yacht or Catamaran charter in the Uk, Croatia or Greece The hands-down best multi-day cruise is with G Adventures (my favorite small-group tour company): Sailing The British Virgin Islands – Tortola To Tortola. The island has been thoroughly taken over by ultra-high-end boutique resorts and doesn’t really have any budget options—you’re going to have to stay in St. Maarten for budget choices. The relatively flat Leewards do not interfere as much with wind direction and speed as the steeper ridges islands of St. Lucia, Martinique and Grenada. In winter, Alizes winds blow northeast between 25 and 30 knots and the sailing conditions can be difficult. For the history buff, step bac… 350 islands, grouped into numerous archipelagos, this form a huge amount of beautiful places to discover by sailing !.. The primary attraction on the island is the volcano itself: It’s still a very active volcano, with lava having been emitted as late as May 2013. Sailing Distances Calculator. Otherwise, if you’re keen to splurge a bit your best two options include: A day trip from St. Martin is very easy to organize via ferry, with ticket prices around €80. What to Do: Saba Day Trip from St. Maarten—if you’re staying overnight to go hiking or experience the island culture, then it’s easy to visit on a day trip from your base in St. Maarten. Many of these small Caribbean islands get lumped together in people’s minds—my goal was to learn what makes each island different. I think I’d be pretending I was a pirate, island hopping! Did you finish your Windward island hopping trip? Find Interesting Things to DoViator, a TripAdvisor property, offers tours all over the world. Here’s how (published May 2018) For U.S. east coast cruisers looking to extend their cruising experience beyond the Bahamas, a Western Caribbean cruise offers an adventurous alternative to the more common Eastern Caribbean destinations such as the BVI and Windward Islands. The close proximity of the islands makes it the perfect base for island-hopping. I also love GetYourGuide, a scrappy booking engine with great prices and a wide selection of tours on every corner of the earth. Keep an eye out for freighters, too. The U.S. Dollar can be used everywhere in the region except for Guadeloupe. Bonaire is best known in scuba-diving circles for its spectacular undersea life. Nonetheless, what’s done is done. Add as many points as required and the distance will build up. Saba might be a fascinating island I’ve visited on this trip because the geography and culture of the island are so unique. SAILING-CLASSICS ATLANTIC TRIPS Atlantic crossing: East – West. This option would be best used for traveling to islands with a great distance between them, where there are no ferry connections. More than 4000 sea ports. You can reach some groups of islands via ferry, but they will often stop at a specific island, even though another island is only a few more miles away. More than 4000 sea ports. 151, Distances Between Ports, supersedes all previous editions. I visited St. Bart’s on a day trip because I couldn’t justify spending over $300 per night on a hotel room (and that was during the low season!). Why visit some of the smaller islands? Only small propeller planes can land, and only with specially trained pilots. They are far enough apart to allow for open ocean sailing and they lie across the easterly trade winds, making passages north or south easy. Likewise, traveling between the French side of St. Martin and St. Bart’s similarly requires a passport check. More than 4.000.000 distances. The Dominican Republic is also only a very short flight away, to the left of the island. Overview of the Caribbean Islands and Bahamas. I visited Nevis on a day trip from St. Kitts, which is plenty of time to see the island. Statia used to be the most important port in the Caribbean and was known as the Golden Rock. 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